The Third Queen
by Frost Merry Darkness Luver
Summary: Anne ran away from home before her father made her Henry's Mistress. Because of this she become's Henry's third wife.
1. Prologue

**AN: This is not entirely a Tudor fanfic as much as I'm using the characters and trying my hand at writing this so since it is in the Tudor Fanfic domain I will say I do not own the show or it's characters. Except the occasional made up ones.**

**Prologue**

**Hever Castle**

Anne Boleyn stood on the stair. Her father was downstairs talking to her Uncle Norfolk. They were discussing her fate. They wished to sell her to the King of England. Henry VIII had grown tired of his mistress, her sister, Mary Boleyn and they intended on replacing her with Anne.

Anne had no wish to be anyone's mistress much less the King of England. She ran to her brother's room.

"George! George! They want me to be the King's newest mistress! Help me! I do not wish for this."

**A couple days later on the road**

George Boleyn had helped his sister, Anne leave Hever. Anne was intent on never returning. She had nowhere to go but anywhere was better than home. She was walking the road, when a carriage spotted her and stopped. It was her good fortune, Mary Suffolk, the King's sister and wife of the Duke of Suffolk was in the carriage. She was on her way to Ludlow to visit Princess Mary, her namesake. The girl looked dirty and hungry. Mary thought nothing of it and assumed she was a servant. But a servant to whom? And why was she out on the road by herself? She stopped the carriage.

"Hello, I'm the Duchess of Suffolk, where are you off to?"

"Away. I ran from home. My father is a cruel man whose only mistress is ambition and it is his ambition to be close to the King of England. My Uncle Norfolk is just the same. I have no desire to be anyone's mistress, much less take my sister's place as the King's Whore. I wish to give my virtue to my husband, not someone else's."

Mary knew the way of men. Look at her brother and own husband. Neither were faithful men. If her sister was the King's Whore, that would make her Anne Boleyn. What a coup! To steal that ambitious deceitful man's daughter right from under his nose. She could make her loyal to her family's fortunes. She already seemed against her father. Knowing the girl's uncle as she did, they would get the truth out of this brother of hers. For anyone knew that the Howard's were loyal only to the Howard's. They would throw this girl away like they had her sister when she out lived her purpose as the King's Whore. When they got all the land and favor they could from her. The King would lose interest eventually. She could take Anne Boleyn in. Make her, her woman. She would keep her from both her husband and brother's lustful eyes. What was the best way though? She was on her way to Ludlow anyway. Maybe make her one of the Princess of Wale's maids of honor? She would have to write Queen Katherine.

**Hampton Court, Queen's Chambers**

Katherine had just received a letter from her sister-in-law, the Duchess of Suffolk. She requested putting a special lady, Lady Anne Brandon in the household of her daughter. According to the letter, she was a SPECIAL lady who was the niece of her husband. Katherine wondered if that meant that she was actually the illegitimate daughter of Charles. But why would Mary ask for her put in Mary's household if she was?

"Bring the Duke of Suffolk to me," Katherine ordered one of her most loyal servants.

Fortunately for Katherine, Mary had sent a similar letter to Charles with more details.

When Charles came in he said, "Your Majesty, I think I know why you called me and all I ask is a quick word in private with you. Mary was afraid her letter to you would be intercepted by the Cardinal and thus it would not reach its target so she sent one to me hoping I could give you a better explanation."

Katherine dismissed her ladies, "What could Mary not tell me in her letter?"

"Lady Anne Brandon is not the lady's real name. She was running away from home when Mary happened upon her. She wished not to do you the disservice of obeying her father. Her only wish to be a loyal woman. She is the daughter of Thomas Boleyn. The King's mistress, Mary Boleyn is her sister. She overheard her father and uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, talking of replacing Mary with Anne. Anne wished not to follow in her sister's footsteps so she ran away from home. When Mary came upon her, she had the notion to make Anne our woman by placing her in Mary's household."

**A year later, Ludlow Castle**

Lady Anne Brandon, née Boleyn, stood in her highness, the soon to be former Princess of Wale's chambers. She had been loyal to the Duke and Duchess of Suffolk since they took her in a year ago. She was a very loyal servant to her Highness, the Princess of Wales. Her father would be furious, but she found friendship in the young Princess of Wales. Her first loyalty was to her. She would do anything to protect the Princess of Wales even for all intents and purposes, betray her. She knew the King would need someone to champion his daughter even if he currently didn't. Eventually the tides would change and he would lose interest in the Whore, Jane Seymour. When that time came, she would champion, Princess Mary's rights. She had discussed this possibility with the Queen and the Duchess before the Duchess's death the month before. With much sorrow, the disgraced Queen Katherine had agreed with their plan. She had tried talking her into signing the oath if not for her sake, then Mary's, but the queen had said it was far too late for that and her conscience would not allow it. Princess Mary's household was being dismantled as they spoke.

"Princess Mary, know this, despite how it looks, I'm your most loyal servant. When the Whore starts to lose her footing I will be the one to return you to your rightful place as the Princess of Wales with the Duke of Suffolk's help. The king has recalled me to his household. Stay strong and know the Whore will not be queen forever and any child she has will be illegitimate."

"Oh, Lady Anne!" the princess said hugging her before Charles Brandon pulled his "niece" away from the Princess.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**Two years later, Kimbolton Castle**

Katherine thought forlornly of her beloved daughter, Mary Tudor the so called illegitimate daughter of her husband Henry Tudor of England. She had loved her husband for so long and then he had betrayed her with The Whore of England. Henry supposedly called her His True English Rose. When the annulment process had started, it had been in her favor. The Pope would never support her supposed annulment especially if her nephew, the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V had anything to do with it. She had fought so hard for it. Only to be stabbed in the back by Thomas Boleyn. She would have the last laugh though. Right when he was expecting his daughter to take over as Henry's whore, she had escaped to Ludlow. Anne had taken the name Anne Brandon and become the loyal follower of Katherine. She had waited too long though to enact her plan. Henry had decided to marry her treacherous lady-in-waiting the blonde whore, Jane Seymour. Nothing would convince him otherwise. She had tried to save the monarchy by telling the Pope to give him what he wanted the annulment so that he would stay with True Faith, but the blond whore had convinced him to turn his back on the Pope and put himself as the head of the Church. She probably would not have convinced him if he had not wanted to end his marriage with Katherine. The Pope decreed the annulment on the caveat that Henry would say that the marriage to Katherine was a good faith marriage and keep Mary in the line of succession as his sole heir. Meaning any of Jane Seymour's children, boys or girls, would come after her, the Princess of Wales. Henry had baulked at this and declared the marriage null and void on the principle that she had been married to his brother, Arthur, and had not been a virgin as she proclaimed when she married him. Thus, he bastardized, Mary. Then he quickly married Jane. When the Pope heard this, he declared to all of Christendom that Katherine was the loyal and legal wife of Henry VIII and any child of Henry and Jane would be considered a bastard. Henry had not allowed her to see her daughter since then. She had letters passed infrequently to her through Charles and Anne. Anne, one of Mary and Katherine's most loyal supporters, had quickly signed the Oath supporting the illegality of Katherine's marriage to Henry in order to be in position should the tides change.

Katherine had heard rumors that Jane was losing favor already. At first because she didn't get pregnant quickly enough for Henry's liking. He wanted an heir soon. Jane had recently become pregnant, but Charles told her that he had seen men sneaking in and out of the Queen's room when she was unattended. At first he didn't realize that there were no maids with her, but then under suspicion, he had started silently keeping guard on her room. The other ladies would leave Jane alone with her two sisters, Elizabeth and Dorothy and one of her brothers, Thomas, Henry or Edward. The sisters would leave. He wasn't suspicious at first. It became apparent quickly though that she was having an affair with all three brothers. Katherine was disgusted upon hearing this. Charles reasoning behind this was that Jane didn't trust anyone else. If anyone else went in her room, and it was found out they were alone, an affair would be assumed after too long. A sibling however sickening would not. If Jane was pregnant, it was more likely due to an incestuous relationship.

**Whitehall, Queen's Rooms**

Jane was pleased she was entering her fifth month of pregnancy. Henry didn't suspect he was not the father. It was highly unlikely. She was sure it was one of her brothers or lately Thomas Cromwell. He had found out that she was having an affair and in order to keep him quiet, Jane had seduced him. No one, not even her brothers knew. She was disgusted with all of the men in her life: the King, because he hadn't stayed true to her after marrying her; her brothers, for forcing her to sleep with them when it was obvious Henry couldn't get her pregnant (she suspected Mary was the result of an affair at this point as well since she hadn't fallen pregnant. Maybe Katherine had gotten as frustrated with Henry as she had and she had decided to sleep around which is where all the pregnancies came from); that bastard Cromwell, for blackmailing her, The Queen of England; and her father, for allowing it to happen. Henry had never really fallen in love with her. He had decided to end his marriage to Katherine and she was the convenient replacement. He probably would have found someone else except she had conveniently fallen into bed with him one night. She had pretended to be a virgin and hurt that he had forced himself on her while he was drunk. He had felt bad at the time and sworn to make it up to her by making her queen. It would be good if she didn't fall pregnant from this encounter till they could legally be wed. In fact, he hadn't even wanted to part with the Pope but her brother had found the letter before it reached the King. He had rewritten it to say that the Pope was disowning the King of England. No such annulment would ever be possible. It was easy as cake especially when it enraged Henry so much that he broke with the Pope and formed the Church of England. It was made even easier when the Pope had made the announcement that the marriage to the Spanish Whore, as Jane had started calling her in her head, was legitimate and any child Jane had would be a bastard. She had even made Henry so mad at Mary and Katherine that he had bastardized Mary. Her child had to be a boy or her claim would be worse than Katherine. This would be her only chance at a child. Henry would annul their marriage if she had a girl or the baby died. She highly doubted the child was Henrys. They had not had relations for at least a month when she suspected she fell pregnant. Jane hoped the baby would come early so that she could pass it off as Henry's.

**Guildford, Surrey**

Anne opened the letter from Mary.

The King let her continue writing his daughter despite bastardizing her because she was a loyal subject to his majesty and had signed the Oath, first of Mary's ladies. Mary was being kept at Hatfield House. She had been made a servant there. It was to be the home of the King's first child by Jane. Mary was to serve him. Charles had told her of what was going on with Jane Seymour. She hoped the baby was still born. It would be unfortunate to be found out that it was the child of one of Jane's brothers. Anne had wanted to gag when she had heard that. She was truly disgusted by Jane. She had never called her Queen. For this reason, Charles had never taken her to court, not that she wanted to go and be seen by her uncle or father. Her cousin, Kitty Howard had recently become His Majesty's mistress. It had been an endless string of Howard girls. Anne felt sorry for them but was glad she had managed to escape with the help of Charles' third wife, Henry's sister, Mary. Charles had since married again to daughter of one of Katherine's most loyal Ladies-in-waiting who had come from Spain with her.

Catherine Willoughby had not known what to do with Anne when she first married Charles. She had been jealous and had not liked Anne and her relationship with Charles. It had taken her a while and a lot of convincing to realize that Anne had never been and would never be Charles Brandon's mistress. She had been faithful to his third wife Mary since she had taken her "in". When Catherine realized this and that she was there for Katherine and Mary's sake, Catherine and Anne had become friends. Charles had cautioned her on telling her who her family was though. Anne agreed. It was not the time to divulge her relations. She had not spoken to George since she left, but Mary had since been disowned because of her second marriage. Anne had felt safe in occasionally slipping a letter to her. Father hadn't talked to her since anyway and Anne had cautioned her about talking to George. Anne knew that George had probably told them not long after she left that she had. She loved her brother. He didn't have the family ambition but he was still a Boleyn.

Anne loved all of Charles' children. She felt she had to look after Mary's children with Mary dead. Francis had married and become Lady Grey. The girl, Jane was a few years old. She wasn't much to look at but she was very precocious. Anne had taken her under her wing. Francis looked like all of her ambition was pinned on Jane. Anne having grown up as a Boleyn, had warned Charles to tell Francis to be cautious.

**Whitehall**

Henry wondered why he had married Jane. She was boring and he had soon coined the term "plain Jane" to describe her. He had lost interest in her quicker than he had married her. By the time he had married her, he had no interest her, but he was in the midst of divorcing the barren Katherine. He had wanted an heir. He figured, since he had already promised to marry her because of the incident and with no other prospects to replace Katherine, he had gone ahead and married her. She might not realize, but he had cheated on her within hours of marrying her. She had been so boring and stiff in bed that he had done his duty and left her. He was starting to think of replacing her, when she had finally fallen pregnant. He was starting to think she was barren also, but then he had rarely slept with her. He slept with her once and waited to see if her monthly courses came and then forced himself to sleep with her again. When Charles had told him she had been having an affair he was enraged. He had someone silently keeping their eye on her and collecting evidence. I wanted truth. When he learned who she was sleeping with, he became even more enraged, that was six months ago. He had been about to arrest her, when she had announced she was pregnant. He would never hurt a pregnant women so he would wait to punish her once the child was born. He was sure it wasn't his, so he was going to give the baby to a convent and put her and her entire family on trial. All of them had to know about it. Cromwell would be found guilty as well. He had found when his man was trying to find out more about Cromwell after he found out about the affair, that he was extorting money from him. He was taking apart the Catholic Church's he was keeping some of the money for himself. Charles didn't know he believed him. He didn't let him realize it. He knew it made him look like an idiot but he wanted to play it close to the chest for now. The truth would have to wait until she gave birth. Giving her, a false sense of security.


	3. Chapter 2

**AN: This chapter is short for a reason. I want your reaction before I post the next chapter. Let's see who can figure it out.**

**Chapter 2**

**Kimbolton Castle**

Charles and Anne Brandon stood over Dowager Princess Katherine of Aragon. She had passed away a few minutes ago. She had died that morning after breakfast. They knew she was dying. She had been sick for about a year. She had shown vast degeneration in the last day. She hadn't been able to sleep from vomiting and abdominal pain. She had finally had a stroke shortly after breakfast. Anne was holding Charles tightly, in tears.

"You go to Princess Mary, I will inform the King," Charles ordered.

**Hatfield House**

Princess Mary stood in the servant quarters. The rooms for her bastard sibling had long been prepared. Ambassador Chapuys was visiting with the princess when they saw a lone horse barreling toward the house. They didn't move until they saw Anne Brandon atop the horse.

Lady Anne practically jumped from the horse and didn't bother passing the beast off and ran inside to her mistress.

She pulled Princess Mary into a hug.

Chapuys stared on bewilderment for a moment before trying to pull her off the princess.

"Your Highness, I bring terrible news. Your beloved Mother passed away this morning. Charles and I were in attendance. Charles has gone to inform your father."

Princess Mary broke down into tears, clinging onto Anne for support.

Chapuys apologized for her loss and quickly left to inform his King of the death of his aunt. Mary was in good hands.

**Whitehall**

Charles arrived at the King's apartments and requested an audience with Henry.


	4. Chapter 3

**AN: Sorry this chapter took so long. I lost a little will to write when no one figured out what I was trying to say last chapter. Inspiration left me. The inspiration for this chapter came to me when I was falling asleep, so hopefully you like it.**

**Chapter 3**

Jane looked out her window, high above. She wondered how she had gotten here? She looked ready to pop any day now. She should have better conditions then this room in the tower. She knew she was just waiting for the baby to be born. Then her life was forfeit. She was the last one of her family left. The rest of the Seymours had been beheaded a couple months ago, all of her brothers and sisters and her father. The only thing saving her at the moment was her unborn child and even that would not save her. Her execution was planned for two days past the birth. Henry had not been generous.

Jane maintained that she had done nothing wrong. Henry was infertile not she, if the babe in her stomach was anything to go by. She had gotten pregnant quickly and Henry had not been able to get her pregnant. Katherine must have been desperate and done the same thing when she could not get pregnant, the ole hag. She was not even slightly sorry for killing her. She just wished she had been successful in getting rid of her and her daughter before she was imprisoned. Henry still thought Mary was his even if she was illegitimate. That was the only reason he had imprisoned her. She had not committed treason against her lord and sovereign. It was her duty to give the Tudors an heir. It shouldn't matter where the babe came from.

Jane had been feeling a pain in her stomach all night, with a sudden gush she knew it was time.

**Whitehall**

Henry looked up when he saw Charles come in.

"Jane is dead. She gave birth a couple hours ago. The baby was malformed. It didn't live to take more than a breath. Most of the bones were broken in its tiny body. The baby caused a Hemorrhage. She bled out. The doctor didn't come in time to save her. What do you want us to do with their bodies?"

"Remove her head and put it on a pike to show all what happens to traitors and bury the child near the tower. There is no reason it should suffer the indignity of being Seymour blood. You shall mark the grave as baby FitzSeymour."

Charles left with a bow. Henry looked down once again at the letter that he had received before Charles appeared.

_Your Majesty,_

_I am but a humble servant whose word you can choose to ignore but I feel the need to bring to you a subject that should never be forgot, Mary Tudor. You made her illegitimate on the grounds that your marriage to her mother was illegal. I recently found out that you have been lied to. The pope delivered you a letter saying he would give you the annulment you desired on the grounds that you keep Mary legitimate, say that your marriage to Queen Katherine was a good faith marriage, and that any children you had with Jane would be below Mary in the line of succession. He became enraged when you went against that and thus declared that your marriage to Queen Jane was illegal thus any children you had with her would be illegitimate. You could make amends with the Pope if you simply legitimized Mary Tudor. Spain would be in favor of this also. Thus you would go from having no one to take over for you when you died to an heiress. Mary would also be a good diplomatic tool when you did have more children. I humbly suggest you legitimize Mary Tudor once more and propose an engagement to Spain._

_Your humble servant,_

_Lady Anne Boleyn_

Henry didn't know Thomas had another daughter. He had only met George and Mary Boleyn.

He called for Thomas.

"Thomas, I didn't know you had another daughter."

"I did, your Majesty, but she died a few years ago."

Henry showed Thomas the letter.

"I don't know who that is but my daughter is dead. I don't know why she would claim to be Anne Boleyn. Maybe they have a secret to hide and don't want their real name on the letter in case you become enraged. Thus, you would take it out on my family instead of them. Maybe it is one of my enemies. I would pay it no attention, sir."

Henry nodded absently deep in thought.


End file.
